18. Admiral Lockwood pressed to equip his submarines with sonar capable of detecting mines
The loss of USS Wahoo and its commander, Dudley “Mush” Morton, in the Sea of Japan in 1943 hit Admiral Lockwood hard. Morton had achieved legendary status in the submarine fleet for his aggressiveness, poise in battle, and success in sinking Japanese ships. Lockwood wrote of the loss of Morton and Wahoo, “This is the worst blow we’ve had”, adding, “God punish the Japanese”. He believed Wahoo had struck a mine in the Sea of Japan, its last reported position, unable to accept his favorite sub skipper was sunk by Japanese surface or air attack (in fact, a Japanese aerial bomb claimed Wahoo). Lockwood refused to allow his submarines to enter the heavily mined entrances to the Sea of Japan throughout 1944.
During the period he worked with scientists, engineers, and researchers at the University of California Division of War Research to develop sonar capable of detecting underwater mines. Throughout 1944 Lockwood steadily equipped submarines with the new technology, which gradually improved in accuracy, though not to the point they could be risked in combat. Lockwood even petitioned Nimitz to allow him to go on patrol with one of the new sonar-equipped submarines, to further evaluate the equipment. Nimitz considered the idea unthinkable.